Blood Pressure

Ron-P

I went to the doc about a year ago and mine was 116/66.

My buddy just told me yesterday that he went and his was 147/100 (or there abouts) they put him on meds.

So at work tonight I had 5 other people go next door to the local RiteAid and use there self-service machine. Mine was 119/83. The other 4 came back with ranges from 130/83 all the way up to 177/101, and that was for the youngest kid of all of use, in his late 20's.

Now I know these self-service machines aren't 100% accurate but they do give a general idea and I was quite surprised at how high everyone was. This is not good.

maximillian

Do the kids result correlate to how healthy their diet and exercise is? What does the kid with the worse result eat?

WilliamM2

Most people who have high blood pressure don't know it. Especially young people, who rarely have any reason to go to the doctor.

You need more than one reading to get concerned though, all kinds of things will raise it temporarily, which is of no concern. Mines always high when I arrive at the doctor's office, it's always normal by the time I leave. I figure it's the traffic getting there, and then having to wait forever for my scheduled appointment.:mad:

cfrizz

Sounds like some people need to go get checkups.

txcoastal1

Yes most people dont know, I am not over weight, and between my job, boating, hunting, and fishing lead a pretty active lifestyle and I am over 40...went to the dentist last year and they were updating records destroyed in Hurricane Ike they took my blood pressure 192/137...they kicked me out the chair and told me to go straight to the doctor (had not been in over 20yrs)...I didn't feel bad and after being put on meds didn't feel any different.
Moral to the story is get a check up 'cause you never know

cfrizz

They don't call HBP the silent killer for nothing.

AudioGenics

check for both high and low BP
hypertension ( high )
hypotension ( low )

check with your personal Medical Advisor / Doctor

ohskigod

the 133/83 isnt bad, the top number aint great, but it aint bad. the 177/100 is bad, and the bottom number is more worrisome then the top.

the 177 is the pressure when the heart actually pumps, the bottom number is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. 100 = not good....he might have some issues.


the 133 guy can improve diet and do a little cardio and he will be fine. the 177 guy needs to see a Dr. Those self machines are not precise, but close enough to see thats a problem!

wayne3burk

Lifestyle changes

Don't smoke cigarettes or use any tobacco product.
Lose weight if you're overweight.
Exercise regularly.
Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables and is low in fat.
Limit your sodium, alcohol and caffeine intake.
Try relaxation techniques or biofeedback.

Familydoctor.org

If i was your friend i'd try to make lifestyle changes.... his blood pressure is just barely over the upper threshold of normal...

I guess I'm just a little biased against taking meds to cure something that might be controllable by diet and exercise.

scottyboy76

never take meds lightly, every med has side effects, as well as being an industry built on repeat permanent use and prescribing other meds to deal with side effects of first med.

always try to deal with health issues without meds first if possible.

diet is utmost, eat like a pauper not like a prince, veggies fiber and less fat, and not too much of any of these.

1/2 hour a day of exercise will do wonders, but it has to be consistent.

by the way i do none of these things, but i read a lot while eating cheese-its

txcoastal1

I would love to be med free. I have altered my diet, added cardio 3 to 4 times a week has improved from taking 2 different meds to only 1 a day...the rest doc says is hereditary, which mom and dad are on meds too.

cfrizz

scottyboy76 wrote: »

never take meds lightly, every med has side effects, as well as being an industry built on repeat permanent use and prescribing other meds to deal with side effects of first med.

always try to deal with health issues without meds first if possible.

diet is utmost, eat like a pauper not like a prince, veggies fiber and less fat, and not too much of any of these.

1/2 hour a day of exercise will do wonders, but it has to be consistent.

by the way i do none of these things, but i read a lot while eating cheese-its

Medication has helped to improve and extend peoples lives all over the world from disieses that used to mean an early death sentence. While all of the things you mentioned are important, you fail to take into consideration hereditary factors that get passed from generation to generation regardless of how healthy a lifestyle you might try to live.

txcoastal1 wrote: »

I would love to be med free. I have altered my diet, added cardio 3 to 4 times a week has improved from taking 2 different meds to only 1 a day...the rest doc says is hereditary, which mom and dad are on meds too.

Congrats on changing your lifestyle and decreasing the medication. The combination of both will help to ensure you have a longer life span.

bobman1235

cfrizz wrote: »

Medication has helped to improve and extend peoples lives all over the world from disieses that used to mean an early death sentence. While all of the things you mentioned are important, you fail to take into consideration hereditary factors that get passed from generation to generation regardless of how healthy a lifestyle you might try to live.

He DID take those into account, by saying that meds should not be taken LIGHTLY. And it's true. A lot of people, and a lot of DOCTORS, will go to meds FIRST rather than trying to alter a person's lifestyle first. I know people who have cholesterol around 200 who have been put on Lipitor, which is insane - 200 is high, but not dangerously h igh, and it's perfectly manageable.

My brother, on the other hand, unchecked, would have a cholesterol count in the 500's (no joke) and obviously NEEDS meds. There's a difference.

cnh

Ron-P wrote: »

I went to the doc about a year ago and mine was 116/66.

My buddy just told me yesterday that he went and his was 147/100 (or there abouts) they put him on meds.

So at work tonight I had 5 other people go next door to the local RiteAid and use there self-service machine. Mine was 119/83. The other 4 came back with ranges from 130/83 all the way up to 177/101, and that was for the youngest kid of all of use, in his late 20's.

Now I know these self-service machines aren't 100% accurate but they do give a general idea and I was quite surprised at how high everyone was. This is not good.

Great pressure there...we're envious. But be careful...a lot of those RiteAid of CVS machines are NOT calibrated to deal with larger arms...they usually tell you what the 'circumference' limits are and, frankly, they're pretty small for a reasonably sized man who, let's say, works out some? They will over-tighten and render a false reading. So the guys above should probably be retested.

It is, of course, quite possible, as some have said, that young people can have HP-tension. But Heredity and Weight are really the two big items. In your case 116/66...that's either hereditary and/or a lot of aerobic work and dieting? Depending on your age of course. Those readings are not uncommon for a youngster....but a middle-aged guy on a typical American diet...not likely? You can count your blessings or genes?

cnh

dorokusai

You should check your BP as much as you can since it's very important. I always use the free machine when we go grocery shopping, just to know if anything. I have an inexpensive, portable unit at the house. You should have one just like you would a thermometer.

Ron-P

My lifestyle most likely. I eat very well and have a very active job. I'm on my feet and going for 10 hours a day 5 days a week and am also active on my weekends. It's difficult for me to sit still unless watching a movie...or sleeping.

I do realize that those machines are not accurate, at least not very. But they can give a good idea of where one is at.

The young guy with the really high BP went back today and tested himself again, it was even a tad bit higher. Regardless of those machines, when they give off a reading like that it's time to get to a doc.

punk-roc

those machines are accurate enough.. the nurses, nurse-aids, MDs, etc with their stethoscopes are not vastly more accurate..

nothing magical about a human ear listening, and as we should all know, subject to many differing viewpoints and conclusions..

you get a BP nearly 200 systolic and over 100 diastolic, you better be looking to get seen by someone knowledgeable.

Jason

cnh

I absolutely agree with you and doro. He should be checked professionally. I've had border line readings on some of those free machines and been quite normal at home or in the Doctor's office.

But you can become obsessive about pressure. White/coat syndrome and all that if you're an anxious type. Sometimes just trying to relax a bit and taking a few deep breaths can bring your pressure down 'significantly' if you're one of those. Which I am, myself?

My CVS machine reads...if you have an arm with a greater than 13" or 14" circumference (I forget which number it is) this machine WILL NOT YIELD AN ACCURATE reading! The machine has also been off on my heart rate by as much as 30 beats...90 vs. 60 (in other words the machine reads 90 and taking my own pulse immediately after the machine reading I 'accurately' read 60? That demonstrates the limitations entailed for 'some'? It goes without saying that my upper arm is a bit beyond the above stated limits?

cnh